One Progressive’s View- GOP Debates 01/08/2011-Why Does Romney Continue to Disappoint?
I read this in the paper this morning, with my usual cup of liquid ambition:
“Mr. Huntsman spent months in the state (NH)—he skipped the Iowa caucuses—attracting small crowds and minimal press. Now he is now attracting mammoth crowds as he surges in the polls and because of strong debate performances over the weekend. On Sunday, 200 people crammed into a small coffee shop, elbowing to hear him. Several said they were impressed by Huntsman’s response during the debates to Romney’s criticism that he had worked for Obama as ambassador to China. “I served my country,” he said.”
Courtesy of Associated Press
Yes, I was impressed as well by Huntsman’s reply. The prevalent lack of application of that simple four word reply is at the root of what is strangling us as a nation. It reveals Huntsman as presidential and a problem solver, compared with Romney who came off as a petty “panderbear”. Romney underestimates the sophistication of his audience during the debates. Does he assume that they are all there to castigate a candidate that just so happened to share a piece of paper with Barack Obama? I thought that we got past this ‘cooties” stuff in grade school.
It is not as if Huntsman’s conservative credentials are on the line accepting appointment as U.S. ambassador to China. It just seems that more attention was given to the fact that he accepted President Obama’s appointment over the significance of the appointment itself. He was not Obama’s economic advisor or some sinister mastermind of his political ideology and tactics, nor part of his brain trust. The fact that Romney made the statement was as it was intended to be, a designer virus, having a visceral effect upon the audience. It was designed to provoke the kind of reaction that did not stop to check in with rational thought processes.
When call upon to serve by the president, Huntsman did his duty. Sakes, this is not the first time that a president appointed someone from the other political party for such post is it? So, why the big deal? It was a cheap shot. Romney ought to know better.
What was Huntsman’s answer to Romney’s attempt at subterfuge? “I served my country”. Isn’t that what I should expect from everybody on the debate platform and in Washington generally? Such a statement rises above mere party politics and personal vendettas. He said more with that reply than all of his opponents managed to say during the duration of the debates.
I know that much of the political right is not pleased with Huntsman for any number of reasons, but this ‘cheap shot” is one that both sides should notice. Romney embarrassed himself here and it one of the reasons why he is still distrusted by so many, and if he gets the nomination, it will most certainly be a rocky road.
Conservatives should know by now that there is too many of us “left” to think that their idea of a pure ideological agenda is getting rammed down anyone’s throat. Without compromise, we are all going to fail. Huntsman is the only one that had courage and conjones to bring this out, rather than just throwing out red meat. He did not want to resort to the old trick of mentioning Obama’s name and watching the audience salivate like so many mad dogs. For just the reasons mentioned above, Huntsman is getting a second look. A well deserved second look.
